Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone has offered a hint at his La Liga title strategy as the campaign restarts this weekend.
Los Rojiblancos signed off for the international break with a double blow of frustration as Real Madrid controversially eliminated them from the UEFA Champions League.
That setback allowed Simeone to rally his team against the call to rule out Julian Alvarez’s penalty against Los Blancos but a subsequent league defeat to leaders Barcelona was a real body blow.
Barcelona scored four goals in the final twenty minutes to overturn the result in Madrid and Simeone and his players were left reeling.
The former midfielder returned to Argentina for a break last week, to recharge his batteries for a crunch run-in, but his annoyance over the Alvarez incident remains clear.
His team face five La Liga games before the end of April, plus a Copa del Rey semi final second-leg at home to Barcelona, after a 4-4 draw in the reverse cup game.
From the start of May, Atletico Madrid then have five more league games before the end of the season, including just one against a team currently in the top half.
That could play to Simeone’s benefit as he looks to make up a seven-point gap behind Hansi Flick’s current pace setters.
“I was left feeling really upset the first few days after those games [against Real Madrid and Barcelona],” as per quotes from Diario AS.
“As for the title, La Liga is decided in the last five matches. Those teams who still have a chance at that stage of the season are the ones who will compete for the ultimate goal of the trophy.”
Simeone’s team certainly still have a chance in the final weeks, as from their last 10 opponents, only Real Betis are currently inside the European qualification spots.
